Key Takeaways
- Concrete performance data — not tenure alone — is your strongest argument for a raise.
- Market research on comparable salaries gives you a defensible number to anchor around.
- Timing matters: link your ask to a recent win, review cycle, or business milestone.
- Framing your value in terms of business impact, not personal need, lands better with managers.
- Rehearsing the conversation out loud reduces anxiety and sharpens your delivery.
Summary
18 items · 1–2 hours
Why Preparation Wins the Negotiation
Walking into a raise conversation underprepared is one of the most common career mistakes employees make. A vague ask — "I feel like I deserve more" — puts a manager in an awkward position and rarely moves the needle. What works is arriving with evidence, a specific number, and a clear sense of how you want the conversation to go.
This checklist walks you through everything you need to gather and think through before you schedule that meeting. The performance review process is one natural moment to have this conversation — but you don't have to wait for a formal review cycle. The checklist applies either way.
Document Your Achievements
Research Market Rates
Define Your Ask
Choose Timing Strategically
Practise and Refine Your Pitch
What to Have Ready Before You Schedule the Meeting
Preparation happens in layers. Start by pulling together your evidence, then do your market research, and finally work on how you'll frame the ask itself. Many people skip straight to the number — but the number only lands if the context around it is solid.
Avoid Basing Your Ask on Personal Need
Telling your manager you need more money because of rising rent or personal expenses is rarely effective — it shifts the conversation away from your value to the business. Managers generally can't justify salary increases based on personal circumstances. Keep your case grounded in market data and demonstrated performance.
If you're also weighing whether to look for a new role versus negotiating where you are, the dynamics are different but the research overlaps. The same documentation of your accomplishments that supports a raise conversation also strengthens a job search. See our look at job search strategies if you're keeping that option open.
And once you've done the prep work here, the actual conversation requires its own skill set. Our guide on navigating difficult conversations at work offers a structured approach that applies directly to salary discussions.
Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Provides publicly available, government-sourced salary data by occupation and metropolitan area — a credible baseline for benchmarking.
Compensation survey from your industry association
Industry-specific surveys often reflect role nuances (specialisations, firm size) that general databases miss.
Personal accomplishments log or brag document
A running record of wins, metrics, and feedback that makes pulling evidence together much faster.
Notebook or structured template for your pitch
Writing your key points in a structured format — context, evidence, ask — helps you stay clear and confident during the conversation.